A Spell for Understanding
by FabricatedFantasy
Summary: Set after TIS, AU from then forward. Nothing in TFH trough TRC has happened. Rose comes to Palm Springs to check in on the gang and gets into an argument with her friend Sydney. What happens next leaves them both, along with those who care for them, confused and reeling. Why are they in one another's bodies and how can they fix this?
1. Chapter 1

Set after TIS, AU from then forward. Nothing in TFH has happened.. Rose comes to Palm Springs to check in on the gang and gets into an argument with her friend Sydney. What happens next leaves them both, along with those who care for them, confused and reeling. Why are they in one another's bodies and how can they fix this?

DISCLAIMER: All characters and this universe belong to the lovely Richelle Mead. I own nothing.

* * *

 **Sydney's POV**

I felt tired. Typically, my mind would've supplied a more fitting word, one that held the perfect denotation for the exact sort of exhaustion I felt. Not then. Not when I could only focus on what I needed next to pull me from the groggy haze I'd been left in. Ms. Terwilliger pushed an open carton into my hands and I brought it shakily to my lips. I gulped the orange juice greedily and felt the sugar hit my bloodstream after a few dizzy moments.

"Better?" She asked.

"Yes."

"That was a powerful spell. You're getting stronger."

I considered her words. Only months ago, I'd have been aghast by the suggestion that I, alchemist Sydney Sage, could perform any kind of spell. Magic was wrong and unnatural. Magic was for _them_. Vampires. I'd been raised to fear them, despise their very existence. An irrevocable chain of events had changed that.

It started with Rose. The dhampir and I had met in Russia some time ago. She'd been everything I wasn't. Brash and brave, confident, beautiful… she was stunningly beautiful with deep chocolate eyes, smooth tanned skin, and thick, dark hair. I had most envied her graceful figure, though. When we'd met, I couldn't handle sleeping in the same room with her. She may not drink blood, but she was still an abomination. Dhampirs were the result of an ungodly union between humans and Moroi vampires. As an alchemist, my job and my life were dedicated to protecting humanity from the knowledge of their existence. I had once believed so deeply in the tenets of the organization I'd been born into. It was strange to think how drastically I'd changed.

I was pulled from my thoughts when Ms. T began to gather up the spell components and pack them away. The smell of sandalwood and patchouli hung heavy in the cool desert air around us. We'd spent the evening practicing spells that theoretically would expand the scope of my magical aptitude. I say theoretically because at that point, I didn't feel any more powerful. I just felt worn. I really needed to rest. I joined her in packing the ingredients back into their jars and loaded those into the car. If my help would get us back to Amberwood faster, I was happy to assist. I just wanted to curl into bed and sleep.

"I expect we will resume with these on Monday, Miss Melbourne?" She used the nickname that's stuck since the first day of class. I noticed her tapping her index finger against the spellbook we've been practicing from.

"Sure. I'm sorry I can't make it this weekend, m'am."

"It's not a concern. Though, I'd like for you to take this and read through more spells in your absence."

She passed me the heavy, leather clad tome. The book was old, very old. The leather looked worn and cracked in places and the pages themselves were tinged in yellow. It smelled dusty, though not unpleasantly so. The book was written in Latin, though I translated the title subconsciously. For Clarity, it said. I could certainly do with a dose of that. I heard the engine turn and took solace in its steady hum throughout our drive. Nothing more was said; Ms. T must have felt as nearly as drained as I did. When we arrived, I thanked her and headed toward the dorm. By the time my head hit the pillow, I barely registered the thought that sleep couldn't come soon enough.

* * *

A loud buzzing roused me from dreamless slumber. I propped myself onto my elbows and blinked slowly. Zoe was already up; I could hear her showering in the attached bathroom. She'd been so different since arriving in Palm Springs and my heart broke to see the change. Where she had once been an easygoing, sweet girl she was now determined to prove herself as an alchemist. My gentle sister was still buried in there, and it would come across when she felt nervous or excited, but there was an unmistakable coldness to her demeanor. Was this what I was like once? I decided that, yes, it was. I thought back to the Sydney I'd been the night I met Rose Hathaway in a swanky Russian nightclub. I'd been repulsed, and incredibly annoyed, by her. And now? I counted the dhampir as a friend. Smiling as I recalled our adventures together, I felt hopeful, faintly, that Zoe could change as I had. I pondered further until I caught the gleam of a golden lily as my sister padded into the room wrapped in a fluffy bath towel.

"Where were you last night?" She gave me a pointed look. It was so similar to the way she glared at me the night I left for this mission. My heart clenched as I remembered why I volunteered for this. I had only wanted to protect her from this life. Now, freshly tattooed and thoroughly indoctrinated, she'd become a part of it anyway.

"I was working on a project for Ms. Terwilliger."

Zoe scoffed. "I don't know why you do so much for your stupid teacher. Whatever she has for you to do can't be as important as the mission."

"It's part of my cover, Zoe." I really didn't know how else to pass it off to her. I couldn't tell the truth, of course. My illicit magic use definitely wasn't an alchemist appropriate explanation.

"Well, I still don't get it." She was whining now. I had to redirect this.

"Look, I don't have time for this. We have to be ready to go to Clarence's in an hour." That grabbed her attention. I noticed Zoe stiffen and her brows knit together. I almost felt guilty, I knew she was apprehensive, but she'd have to deal with it either way and I needed her to drop the subject of my escapades with our history teacher.

I went about getting ready, for once taking my time in an effort to avoid further conversation with Zoe. The shower was warm and I inhaled the steam mingling with sharp citrus as I lathered shampoo into my hair. When I'd finished washing, I blew my hair out, giving some volume to the blonde layers. I'd always made certain my appearance was presentable, but I had extra motivation today. I didn't want to look presentable, I wanted to look beautiful. I carefully applied my cosmetics, deciding on the natural look I've always prefered. When I stepped out of the bathroom, Zoe was already dressed and sitting on her bed. She looked away with a discernible scowl on her face. I should have felt bothered that she was ignoring me, but I felt relieved for the moment. From the closet I selected a billowy white tank that my friends Kristen and Julia had insisted I just had to have the last time we were out shopping together. I paired it with slim fitting dark wash jeans and sensible flats. Zoe raised an eyebrow at my less than formal attire, breaking her disinterested facade.

I shook my head and sighed, "Let's just go, okay?"

"Sure. Um… yeah." She mumbled. I began to feel a little bad for her again. I knew this wasn't easy on her. She'd just been thrust into a completely new and scary situation with people she believed were evil creatures of darkness.

And another would be arriving today.

We pulled up to Clarence's a little before ten. I may have changed my entire outlook, but punctuality was so deeply ingrained that I doubted that particular aspect would ever change. A sunny yellow Mustang was already gleaming in the driveway. It seemed my habits were rubbing off on someone else, too. I fought the corners of my mouth as they began to turn upward. My heart rate picked up and I felt a fluttering in my stomach. _Adrian._ Warmth spread through me as my mind repeated his name. It had been a few days since we'd seen one another.

Zoe and I walked through the door. She trembled visibly, and I placed a hand on her shoulder in a gesture of reassurance. "You okay, Zo?"

"Don't embarrass me! I'm fine!" She snapped, but didn't make a move to pull away from me. I could tell she was trying to seem brave despite her abject fear of our company. Eddie, Jill, Angeline,and Neil were already lounging on Clarence's furniture. Adrian had picked them up from Amberwood this morning so that Zoe wouldn't have to ride with them. I'd asked since I knew how terrified my baby sister still was of vampires. At some point, I hoped to ease her into more comfortable interactions with them, but I didn't think it wise to bombard her with everyone at once. Especially with today's expected arrival.

"Where's Adrian?" I asked without thinking, quickly adding "I think we should all be together when she arrives."

"He's with Dorothy." Eddie shrugged.

Zoe froze and a grimace crossed her pretty features. "So disgusting..." she whispered just to me. I could tell she expected my concurrence. I gave her a small nod, not entirely faked. I may be in love with a vampire, but I doubted that I'd ever get used to the idea of him drinking blood. I avoided thinking about the specifics it.

Adrian rounded the corner from the hall and grinned at us, always careful to hide his fangs. "Hey Sages." he paused and inspected us, spending more time eyeing me than necessary. He arched a single brow at me, "Did someone vandalize your khakis?"

I felt heat pooling in my cheeks. Zoe eyed him with scorn, stomping away to sit on the empty loveseat. "Don't worry, I like it." Adrian breathed in a low whisper. I met his eyes briefly before turning and joining my sister.

Jill smiled sweetly in my direction. "Your outfit is great, Sydney. Those jeans look amazing on your legs." She supplied what Adrian couldn't. Or maybe the thought was her own; it was hard to be sure.

"You should wear jeans more. For once, I wouldn't mistake you for a stuck up librarian." Angeline joined in.

"Hey," Zoe whined, "that's my sister you're talking about! Just because you grew up uncivilized and don't know how to dress with class..."

"Whoa, relax." Eddie cut in. Smart, since Angeline's fists clenched at the insult. I glanced at Neil, he'd been silently watching the exchange over the top of a book. The room went quiet, and I whispered thanks to Zoe in a show of solidarity.

The moroi and dhampirs spoke amongst themselves. Zoe and I sat in silence; I massaged her shoulder gently. It felt awful being in such proximity to my friends, my true friends who honestly cared about me, and being unable to display the easy camaraderie we'd developed. I couldn't, though. If I slipped, Zoe could report me to the Alchemists and I'd be shipped to reeducation. I truly couldn't imagine how terrible those facilities must be. My stomach rolled as my mind conjured the image of Keith pounding at the glass and pleading. As much as I loathed him, even he didn't deserve whatever they did to make him that shell of a person. I noticed then that Adrian was looking at me, concerned. He must have seen the tumult in my aura. I shook my head only slightly and he averted his gaze. My friends continued talking, Jill and Eddie animatedly told Clarence about Angeline's latest fumbles while Angeline herself insisted with a pout that it wasn't her fault. A heavy knock at the door halted the chatter. Dorothy hurried past us and answered, smiling despite the haze of her recent high. She returned to the sitting room soon after followed by none other than Rosemarie Hathaway.

"Hey, miss me?" Rose grins.

* * *

Rose explained what I already knew, that Queen Vasilisa had sent her to check on us here in Palm Springs. It was really unnecessary, Eddie is perfectly capable of reporting our status to the guardians, but I had a hunch the queen sent Rose here as a comfort to Jill. The two of them had yet to be able to bond as sisters, and I suspected Vasilisa meant to show she cares in some way. As queen, she couldn't make the trip herself, but Rose is her closest friend and someone Jill cares about too.

"Hey Sydney." Rose shrugged as she addressed me comfortably.

"Hello, Rose. I hope your trip was agreeable." I responded with perfect alchemist calm. Rose raised an eyebrow, then seemed to notice Zoe and nodded once toward her before turning to the others.

"Sydney," Zoe hissed when the others were absorbed in conversation again, "when can we leave? There are so many of _them._ "

I considered her request, it really would be a relief to get her back to the school. "Listen, Zoe, I'll take you back but then I need to get back here. I need to discuss with Rose the details of her stay here."

Zoe's body relaxed, clearly relieved. Eager as she has been about her new position as an alchemist, I knew she was glad to let me handle minor details if it meant spending less time around a new dhampir. She was uneasy enough around the normal group. And, well… Rose can be intimidating if you don't know her. I informed the gang that I'd be back in half an hour, and Zoe and I shuffled to the car. The drive to Amberwood was short, and Zoe let out a breath I suspected she'd held for some time. She was finally relaxed with the knowledge that she'd be back with humans for the remainder of the day. "Thanks for getting me out of there Sydney. Sorry I was so snappy earlier."

"It's alright."

"I just really want to make our family proud, make dad proud. I want to be a good alchemist. I want to be just like you, Sydney. I don't know how you do it. How you're so calm around _them_."

If only she knew. I didn't give away my thoughts; I only nodded at her and gave a soft smile. Inside my chest, I felt my heart breaking. Zoe, my baby sister. I took this life willingly so she would never have to. Now she too was engulfed in it and I was so unsure of what I could do. Zoe hugged me before climbing out when we arrive at the school _._ I wrapped my arms around her, too, and patted her back lovingly. As difficult as her presence here had been for me, she's my sister and I love her.

Once Zoe was halfway to the dorm, I pulled out of the Amberwood lot and headed back to Clarence's. "Sage!" Adrian beamed when I reentered the living room. "Didn't think you'd get away from mini Sage."

"Are we allowed to be your friends, now?" Rose smirked. I've missed her.

"You're always my friend, Rose. Thanks for not pushing it with Zoe, though."

"Yeah, well. I saw that lily and figured she must hate us as much as you used to." She laughed.

"I never hated you…"

"Yeah, okay. Just thought I was a creature of the night. How many times did you cross yourself just being near me?" More laughter rang out, not just from Rose this time.

"Anyway, Rose. I actually do need to talk with you. Can we go outside?"

"Sure." Rose followed me out to the garden and we settled on a wrought iron bench. The day was balmy, and she pulled her thick waves into a ponytail. Her neck bore a pinkish welt around a newly tattooed molnija mark. As kind as she is, it's easy to forget how fiercely dangerous Rose can be. "So, what's up Sydney?"

"I just need to help coordinate your stay here. Have you checked in at the hotel?"

"Not yet." I was about to speak when she added, "I know, I know. I've seen your itinerary. You're so organized, you know that? If you didn't give me so much to do, I'd have time to make fun of you for it. Anyway, I'll check in tonight... Yes, after the dinner with Clarence."She must have seen that I was going to interrupt. My mouth hung open. Okay, I really had scheduled a lot for her to do.

"Well, alright. That's good. It would have been easier if you'd checked in first so you can have a full night's sleep, with the schedule change and all…"

"That's the Sydney I know, always worried about the details." She laughed, a full and happy laugh, "I appreciate you getting everything ready for me. Really, I could have handled it. I usually just wing it with things like this."

Didn't I know that. "Well, I wanted to help."

"Thank you, I mean it. Honestly, how are things going here?"

"Hmm…" I paused, "well, as good as can be expected. Our covers are intact and everyone, my sister excluded, seems to get along."

"Glad to hear it. And Adrian's not causing you any problems? I'd ask about Angeline, too, but..." she paused and gave me a meaningful look, "well, I think we already know that Angeline is enough trouble even for you."

What? I really didn't know what to say to that. Why would Adrian be causing me problems? I asked her as much.

"Well, you have enough to do looking out for everyone as it is. I'm sure you don't need to be babysitting a drunk on top of it. If he's getting into trouble, let me know. I'll smack some sense into him." She laughed again.

"He isn't just some drunk, Rose." I huffed. Okay, where did that come from? I'm usually better at repressing my thoughts. Did I just speak them aloud?

"Hey, it's okay. You don't have defend him out of pity or whatever. I know it's not his fault."

That only incensed me more. "How can you talk about him that way? He's your friend! And even if he were causing problems, which he's not, it would be his fault because he's an adult. He's responsible for himself and his actions."

"Whoa, what's got your panties all in a bunch? Chill." Rose looked a little shocked at my outburst.

"Sorry." I take a few breaths, "Look, I just don't like when people assume someone is helpless. Adrian is a competent person."

Rose scrunched her nose a bit. "I'm not sure which Adrian you've met, but it can't be Ivashkov."

I shook my head and walked back to the house. The conversation was doing my attitude no favors. Rose entered the living room not long after I did, but she didn't return to the subject we'd been discussing. Thank God. I felt my jeans vibrate and tugged my phone from my pocket. I had a new text from Adrian. He was five feet away from me and looked a little worried.

 _U ok? Ur aura's going crazy._

I sighed, and typed a response. _Yes, fine. I don't want to talk about it right now. Meet me at your place?_

 _Of course_

I stood up a while later and let Jill, Eddie, Angeline, and Neil know it was time to go. All but Jill groaned, not ready to go back to the rigors of academia. When I dropped them off, I told them I'd be doing research for Ms. T in another town and asked Jill to please tell Zoe I wouldn't be back until tomorrow afternoon. It was the weekend, so I wouldn't miss any class. Probably a flimsy excuse, but I really needed the time away. I'd pacify Zoe somehow when I got back. By the time I pulled up outside Adrian's apartment, it was dark. I took a glance toward the leather bound spellbook sticking out of my bag. For clarity, I thought. I pulled that strap of the bag over my shoulder and climbed out of the car.

When I stepped into the apartment, Adrian pulled me close and crushed his lips to mine. For the few moments our mouths moved together, I forgot what had been bothering me. Everything else ceased to matter. My only focus was the feel of his soft lips, the taste of mint and cloves on his tongue, the way his hands stroked my sides beneath my shirt and the tingling electric feeling left behind by his fingertips. It ended too soon and I lay my head against his strong chest, listening to the erratic beating of his heart.

"Hey." He took a small step back and tilted my chin so my eyes fell on his; I was awed once again by just how green those eyes were.

"I missed you." I sighed.

One corner of his mouth perked upward. "You saw me an hour ago. Can't get enough of my irresistible charm, Sage?" I opened my mouth with a retort, but he added, "I know what you mean. I missed you too."

"Oh, Adrian." I shook my head. The argument with Rose came back to me. I felt like I should do something. I began to question if it's my place to, but I've always felt like I need to fix everything. I just had to make Rose understand; I couldn't let her see him this way. I was lost in my own thoughts again, when Adrian spoke up.

"Are you going to tell me what was wrong earlier?"

"Probably not. It's nothing really, just a disagreement with Rose. I wish she were more understanding." I sighed for what felt like the millionth time. A thought occurred to me. For clarity, I remembered again. I dug out the spellbook and flipped through it, recalling a spell I noticed when I'd briefly skimmed it earlier. When I found it, my eyes scanned the handwritten Latin text. "A spell for understanding." Perfect, exactly what I need.

I noticed Adrian watching me. "What's that?"

"Oh, just some spells I've needed to practice. Maybe they'll distract me." I shrugged. He wouldn't be happy with what I'd been considering. I had to, though. Rose is my friend. She needed this, if a little spell could give her more understanding, why wouldn't I do it? I wanted to help her. It appeared to be a simple spell, too. No ingredients, just my mind. It would be okay, right? I turned my attention back to Adrian, "Want to help?"

He raised an eyebrow, but shrugged and agreed. I didn't really need help with this spell, but I would need sugar afterward and might need him to keep me from falling. I followed the steps in the book, focused my energy on Rose and thought about all of our experiences together. I recited the words of the spell, chanting them seven times. I felt a rush of energy, warm and cold all at once, as it spread from the ground up through my feel and coursed through my entire being. When the rush left me, I felt Adrian's arms around my waist before he lifted me and deposited me on the couch. A regular Coke was already sitting on the end table next to me. I grimaced, but popped the can open and drank.

"Did your spell work? I didn't see anything happen."

"Huh?" I yawned. "I think so. I'm not sure, but I felt the magic."

When I felt good enough to stand, I walked to his bedroom and stripped down to my underwear. I climbed into his bed and snuggled into the soft duvet and silky sheet. He lay beside me and kissed my cheek softly before wrapping his arm around me. He felt warm and safe, and once again I let go of the earlier conversation that plagued me. I drifted into a blissful sleep.

* * *

 **Rose's POV**

Last night after everyone left, I drove my rental car to the hotel Sydney had booked for my trip. That girl was on top of everything, I couldn't fathom how she did it. Must be all the coffee, I couldn't see how else she had the energy for everything she does. I could be hard sometimes to believe she was only human. Once I checked in and got my things unpacked, I called Dimitri. I'd have called sooner, but he was still on a nocturnal schedule back at Court and by now his day would just be starting.

"Roza," his deep voice danced through the phone speaker, "I've missed you."

"Oh cool it, Comrade. It's been a day." I laughed, but he knew I missed him too. I wish he'd been able to come with me, but Christian was going to be travelling this week and needed his guardian even more outside the safety of the wards. They come first.

"How are they doing in California?" he asked. Of course, he would think of everyone else. He's so selfless. Warmth spread through me. I couldn't help but to love this man.

"Good, mostly. There's another alchemist. Sydney seemed really tense about it. You should have seen her flip at me earlier; I think the stress is getting to her. Poor girl does too much."

Dimitri chuckled. It was smooth and rich and a smile formed on my lips at the sound of it. "Oh Roza. If Sydney was anything but pleasant, something is definitely wrong."

He had that right. I considered it for a moment. Even when we first met in Russia and she'd thought of me as an evil creature of darkness, she had never been impolite toward me. Sydney wasn't one to snap like she had this afternoon. This Zoe must really be stressing her out.

I finished my call with Dimitri after listening to him talk about his upcoming trip with Sparky, and when the call ended I happily curled into the hotel bed and slept. It had been more than 24 hours since I was trying to change my sleep cycle, and it didn't take much to fall asleep.

I blinked sunlight from my eyes. Was it already morning? Letting my lids slip closed again, I cuddled my back into Dimitri's chest. He felt so warm, his hard chest rising and falling as his breaths tickled the back of my neck. I sighed. This felt nice. He had one arm over me, his hand resting on my hip as he slept. I snuggled closer, feeling the contours of his muscles against my back. Eyes still closed, I wriggled my body and turned it toward him. My lips trailed up his jaw and found his mouth. He must have woken, because he responded to my kiss. He prodded the small parting of my lips with his tongue and I allowed him entrance. I barely registered that his mouth tasted different than usual, minty with some kind of spice, but my body was too attuned to his to ponder it much. My breathing grew heavy as we explored each other's mouths, and my tongue ran along his teeth until it was met with a sharp point. Suddenly, memories flashed through me and scathed as if they were a burning acid, memories of a pale Dimitri with blood ringed eyes and sharp fangs. I screamed and shoved his chest hard as my eyes shot open. I wasn't having a nightmare, though. Or, at least not the one I'd thought, because I was looking at another man. _Adrian._

His eyes were wide and… apologetic? "I'm sorry," he pleaded. I was about to say he should be, but he continued, "It didn't cut you, right? I didn't mean to…" he trailed off.

Oh my God. My heart was pounding now. That's all he was sorry about? "What the hell?!" I shouted, "You think I'm upset about your _teeth_?!"

"Well, yeah. If that's not it, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Adrian looked concerned and put his hands on me, trying to pull me to him.

"What do you think you're doing?" I spit the words at him, dripping with anger. He let go and hurt crossed his features. I couldn't understand what was happening. I wracked my brain to remember last night. I talked with Dimitri, brushed my teeth, went to bed... I went to bed in my hotel. How did I get here?

"What happened? Why am I here?" I shouted the questions at him as they entered my mind. "Did you get me drunk?!" I had just realized we were both in our underwear. I really needed to know what happened last night.

"How could you think that? I would never. You don't even drink. And you came here." He pleaded, and was almost rambling. Why did he look so upset by this? He clearly took advantage of _me_. "I don't understand what you're asking me," he finished.

I moved myself back on the bed before standing up and pacing the room. I couldn't even look at him. "Where are my clothes?" I glanced around. The room was messy, clothing littered the floor. Mostly his, but I could see a woman's clothing too. I gagged a little. Adrian stood and seemed to scan the room. He cautiously moved toward the woman's clothes, picked them up, and deposited them on the bed before turning back to me. He was staring.

"These aren't mine!" Was he kidding me? Was he really going to hand me some one night stand's clothing now?

He still said nothing, his eyes seemed unfocused and I wanted to punch him for ignoring me. Then, his eyes widened, astonished. "You're not Sydney."

That was not what I expected to hear, at all. "No shit. How'd you figure that out?" I wasn't in the mood for stupid jokes, but felt too thrown off by this one to stay silent.

"Your aura. It's like… Rose?" His tone was serious but still clearly confused.

"What the hell is going on Adrian? What does Sydney have to do with me waking up in your bed?!"

He turned and retreated to a doorway at the far corner of the room. I was fuming again, how could he walk away from me like this? I stomped after him as he disappeared into his bathroom. As I was about to storm through the doorway and give him another piece of my mind, I ran headfirst into his still bare chest. His arm went around my waist to balance me and I shoved him. He barely took a step back and his hand remained on me, surprising since I was so much stronger than him. His other hand held a mirror. He passed it to me, still staring as though I've grown another head.

"What kind of game are you playing, Ivashkov?" I was all but out of patience now.

"Just look." Adrian whispered, and I did.. I lifted the small mirror level with my face and in the reflection I saw a woman with amber eyes, blonde hair, and gleaming golden swirls on her left cheek, a lily tattoo. _Sydney_.

I shifted my eyes back to Adrian, he was still staring. I returned to the bed and sat down, dizzy with questions. Adrian followed carefully. "You should get dressed." He said. I looked to the clothing on the bed next to me. Dark jeans and a loose white tank. I hadn't been paying close attention, but these did look similar to what Sydney wore yesterday. I pulled the shirt over my head and then worked on slipping my legs into Sydney's jeans. Or were these her legs? Another thought occurred to me, "Why would Sydney be in your bed?"

Adrian didn't respond. He was wearing his own clothing now. That was a relief, I'd seen his body before but it felt uncomfortable seeing that much of him now. I tried again, "Adrian, I asked you a question. Why would Sydney be here?" I shivered, thinking of the Keepers. Surely the two of them couldn't have something going on like, like that. Right? That would be… disgusting. But, here she was, or here I was in her body I guess, waking in his bed wearing almost nothing. Oh, God. No, I decided. There had to be some other explanation, however farfetched it might seem.

"Rose," he started, then "Wait, you are Rose, right?"

"The one and only." I said dryly.

"Okay, well look, Rose… I'm really more concerned with figuring out what's going on. I want to know why you're in Sydney's body." He stilled, a panicked look crossed his face, "Sydney's body! God, where is Sydney?"

"Crap." I let my earlier curiosity drop. He was right, if I was here, where could she be? I was worried about my friend. "Do you think she's in mine?"

Adrian pressed his palms over his eyes, clearly upset. "I don't know," his voice was pained, "I really don't know."

I slipped into guardian mode, all business, "Okay, well here's what we do know. I'm here. So it would make sense if she were, well, in me. Let's try calling her." I reached in my pocket, but found no phone. Oh, right. My phone wasn't in my pocket, because this wasn't my pocket. I wasn't me. Whatever was happening was getting on my nerves. "Is there a phone around here, Adrian?" he handed me one.

"Okay, so I'm going to call Sydney, or me, whoever."

I dialed my own number and listened as it rang. Adrian, though not near me, could hear it too and watched me intently. After a few rings my voicemail picked up. "Shit. What now?"

He appeared to be considering something, then, "Maybe she's asleep. I can try a spirit dream."

* * *

 **Sydney POV**

As I slept I dreamed of Adrian. The dream was nice; he showered me with warm kisses and we danced to no music. It was a normal dream, at least until it wasn't anymore. My dream faded as another took its place and I found myself in the courtyard at the Getty Villa where we'd decided to finally be together. He was pacing as I materialized and his face was etched with worry.

"What's wrong?"

He looked up from his pacing and in a moment he was at my side, arms tight around me. "Oh, Sage."

"What's wrong, Adrian? You're clearly upset. You should have woken me." I mean, I was with him at his apartment. Why was he using spirit to pull me into a dream? I felt a pang as I realized what effect this could have on him. Oh, Adrian.

His eyes met mine, and they seemed to be considering. "I don't want you to worry. Don't wake up, okay. Just stay asleep."

"Tell me what's," I started, but the dream faded around me and my mind drifted to nonsensical regular dreams.

* * *

 **Rose POV**

Adrian was cross legged on his ugly plaid sofa, a vacant look on his face as he contacted Sydney in a spirit dream. He must have been able to reach her since he'd been this way for a few minutes now. Then, he blinked and looked up at me.

"She's definitely in your body. Where did you fall asleep?"

"The hotel." I supplied.

"Come on."

He lead me to his car, a classic yellow Mustang. It was nice, but I didn't know much about cars. Sydney must appreciate it, though. I recalled The Red Hurricane and tried to hide my smile. This wasn't the time for reminiscing, but I couldn't help but let my mind wander. It eased the tension in my own head. Something occurred to me, though. "Hey, how did you know for sure that she's in my body?"

He was driving, so he didn't look at me as he replied, "So, in a spirit dream the person looks like a mixture of how they look in real life and their own perception of themselves. When I saw her, she looked mostly like Sydney but had some of your features. Hair color, skin tone, muscle. I just knew when I saw her."

Huh, clever. I knew Adrian was smart, but he hid it so well behind the jokes and charm that I was always surprised when he let it show. "So, how is she taking it?" I asked.

"She doesn't know. I need her to still be there when we show up. I can't let her handle this alone."

He was right, honestly. I could definitely see Sydney panicking and rushing off on her own to solve this mess. We rode in silence, then, except for my brief directions to the hotel.

* * *

 **Sydney POV**

I awoke to pounding on the door and heard muffled voices beyond. "Not so loud, you'll give her a heart attack." I thought one said. I took in my surroundings and instantly my heart rate shot up. Where was I? And the people were still knocking, though more quietly. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and stood, tiptoeing closer to the door of what appeared to be a hotel room. As a precaution, I readied myself to summon a fireball or two if I needed any protection.

"Who's there?" I demanded.

"Sydney, it's me. Open the door, okay?" Relief washed over me at the sound of his voice. I undid the latch at the top of the door and turned the knob, if anyone could calm me while I figured out why I was in this strange room, it was Adrian.

When the door opened, I pulled him in without looking at the person behind him and sobbed into his chest. "What's happening? Where am I?"

His arms went around me, but he didn't hold me as closely as he normally would. He seemed hesitant and I pulled my head back from him to look in his eyes. It was then that I saw a face beyond his shoulder that startled me more than waking up in this strange place had. It was _my_ face.

* * *

Note: Okay, so there's everything I have so far. I hope it turned out alright, I've honestly never written anything like this before (not just fanfiction, I've never written _any_ kind of fiction. I just read it a lot.)

Anyway, so... As hilarious as it would be to let Adrian stay in the dark, I just couldn't do that. It would seem too OOC to me since he is so observant and reads people so well. I hope I got Rose and Sydney right. The two of them are just such very different people and I didn't want the voices to sound too similar. That was challenging and I'd seriously love feedback about it, or really anything else that might help improve my writing. I've always liked writing but never really took the time to do much of it before.

Please let me know if you guys like this and whether it's worth continuing. I plan to finish it, though. I don't know how often I can update, since I'm a full time wife, mom, and college student. But I definitely plan to try :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Rose's POV**

I stepped with caution into the room behind Adrian, averting my eyes as he hesitantly embraced Sydney, or was it me? I still hadn't wrapped my head around the bizarre situation and I felt more than a little discomfort. A sharp gasp brought my gaze back to my friends, and I saw my own face twisting in confusion.

"I… what?" Sydney spoke meekly, the tone and cadence were unrecognizable but it came out in my voice all the same.

"Shhh, Sage. It's okay. It's going to be okay." Adrian's arms pulled her closer and his hands slowly massaged her shoulders. I'd be infuriated at the contact were she not so clearly distressed.

Sydney turned back to me and spoke again, more clearly now. "What's going on, here?" I was amazed by the instant change in her demeanor. She was all business, getting straight to the bottom of things.

"I don't know," I shrugged, "but maybe look in the mirror."

Her brows furrowed, but she wriggled free of Adrian's grasp and slipped into the attached bathroom.

"3, 2…" I snickered, still finding some semblance of humor despite our predicament. "One."

On cue, a shriek pierced the air. Sydney ran out of the bathroom, eyes wide and dark hair flailing behind her. "Can someone explain this?!"

"Sage, sit down." Adrian steered her toward the bed and motioned to sit. "We don't know what's going on exactly, but somehow you and Rose have switched bodies."

Sydney laughed. She actually laughed, and then, "Okay, I'd like to wake up now." She brought one hand across her chest and pinched the opposite arm, scowling as she did. She pinched again and the scowl grew deeper. "This is a dream, right? Some kind of joke?" She looked to Adrian as she said this.

He shook his head, "Afraid not."

"Okay…" she paused, thinking. "What are we going to do, then?" Before allowing a response, she answered her own question. "I think we need to go over everything that's happened leading up to now. What's the last thing you remember, Rose?"

I let out a breath, thankful that Sydney could be counted on to approach things with a level head. Maybe we would figure this out quickly and find a way to reverse it. "Well, last night I fell asleep here, obviously." She nodded, so I continued. "And this morning, I woke up in Adrian's apartment in my underwear. I expect you to explain that, by the way."

Their eyes met before turning back to me. Now that Sydney's safety had been confirmed, my patience was up. I was getting this explanation now, "Well, I'm waiting."

Adrian cast his eyes toward Sydney, clearly allowing her to take the lead. "No one knows, just Jill," she started, but seemed to be stalling to come up with some explanation.

My mind spun. No one knows? Knows what, exactly? I hadn't wanted to consider the full implication this morning, but I knew now it was undeniable. They were together. My vision began to go hazy and I was seeing red, I vaguely recognized my voice as Sydney spoke again but I couldn't make out the words. I stomped straight toward them and curled my fingers into tight fists before taking a swing at Adrian.

"WHAT did you DO to her?!" My punch had landed lower than intended, and he rubbed at his jaw where I'd struck. Meanwhile, a sharp pain radiated through my knuckles. My sudden lack of strength further incensed me.

Cradling my still aching hand, I stared pointedly at Adrian. He seemed at a loss, stupidly muttering "what?"

"This is unbelievable, Adrian Ivashkov! How could you? Using compulsion on an Alchemist for your own sick enjoyment?" I was livid.

"Rose, what are you talking about?" Sydney cut in.

"Sydney, this isn't your fault, but when I woke up this morning, I was… you were in Adrian's bed. Please don't be upset," I consoled, expecting her to respond with appropriate outrage. My Alchemist friend would never willingly be so close to a vampire.

"You think I would do that? To Sydney, of all people?!" Adrian spoke up, now.

"I chose to be there, Rose. To be with him. Adrian would never compel me."

"Sydney, you don't know that. Compulsion can make you believe a thought was your own, but he planted it there." I reasoned with her, she was further gone than I'd thought. Anger coursed through me again, how could Adrian do this to her?

"No, Rose." Adrian's voice was uncharacteristically firm, his face hard. "I did not compel Sydney. I love her and I respect her too much to ever take control of her choices from her."

I froze, not expecting that. He loved her? My thoughts were interrupted by my own voice as Sydney spoke up, "And I love him. Rose, take this for what it is. I'm sure you're confused, but I hope that you will keep this to yourself. It could be very dangerous for me if it were to come out."

"I… okay. But don't think we're done with this conversation." I needed a break from thinking about this, their relationship. Wow. How did that even happen? "I need to process this. Damn."

* * *

 **Sydney POV**

How could this happen? How even did this happen. I had a hunch, but I hesitated to volunteer my suspicions lest there could be another reason. Any other reason would ease my nerves, though it appeared one was not forthcoming. How could this have gone so terribly wrong? I wanted Rose to be understanding, sure. I hadn't wanted to become her!

Already, one secret had come out. I only hoped that Rose could keep the information to herself, I had no choice but to trust her. It seemed, though, that she'd be learning yet another before the morning was through. Sighing heavily, I turned from Adrian to Rose, then back. "I think I know what happened. To us, I mean." I supplied the last part to a bewildered Rose, who seemed to still be contemplating the implications of what she'd learned only minutes prior.

"Well, what?" She insisted. Adrian raised a brow in question.

I hesitated, I knew that I could trust my friend, she'd proven that in the time I'd known her. Still, I wasn't quite ready to reveal all of my secrets. "I… need to talk with my history teacher. She can help us."

Adrian understood right away and his mouth quirked into its trademark grin, meanwhile Rose looked more confused than I'd seen her all morning. Running a hand through blonde hair, a scowl on her face, she questioned "What are you even talking about?"

"I'll explain later, let's just go so we can fix this mess."

* * *

 _Hi, everyone! So, I am super sorry for not updating in ages. I feel terrible about it. I honestly sort of forgot about this story, and I just got so caught up with life. This chapter was really short, but I saw your reviews and I wanted to give you something at least, so I threw it together while my daughter was taking her nap. I'm going to try to add more soon, and again I am really sorry I left you hanging for so long._


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